


Ghosts of the Pasts

by JustYourAverageFangirl (KaoruSaitoh)



Category: Star Wars
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-10-03 03:22:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10234724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaoruSaitoh/pseuds/JustYourAverageFangirl
Summary: Tal'verd finally found someone to love and settled on her home world of Mandalor. Just when things calm down, demons from her past creep back to haunt her and this time, there's no telling who's going to win.





	1. Bounty

Tal'verd Dagg pushed open the door to her home, glancing up as the sun glinted through the trees surrounding the small house. The day was quiet on the outside, but she knew it wasn't as perfect as it seemed. A strong pair of hands slid around her waist and she tensed, relaxing after she realized who it was. "You really shouldn't do that; I might hurt you one of these days." Takkits Dagg hummed quietly, burying his face in her neck. "I'm a bounty hunter and going to be your husband. You can't hurt me." Internally, she sighed; he never seemed to take that seriously, and sometimes, she even wondered if he believed her story about her past. "I've got to go. I promise, as soon as I finish this bounty, I'll come back, and we'll have the biggest wedding Mandalore has ever seen!" Tal'verd turned, kissing him softly. "Just come back. We'll talk about that later." He smiled, brushing her cheek gently. "I'll miss you, Tal." She closed her eyes, smiling and taking his hand. "And I'll miss you, Tak. Be safe." He nodded, waving as he walked away. After watching his back for a few moments, she went back into the house. Tal sat by the window, humming a Mandalorian lullaby as she sharpened her weapons. After a few hours and making sure her husband-to-be was gone, she walked to a corner and pushed one of the rugs aside, pulling up the hatch that led to the basement beneath the house. She walked up to a long box, pushing the top off and lifting a small, rectangular shape out of it. "Cuyan? Are you home?" Smiling, she ran back up the ladder leading back to the house. An old man stood in the doorway, smiling. "Ah, there you are, my little Cuyan!" Tal ran to him, throwing her arms around him. "Buir! What are you doing here?" He pulled away, a somber look on his face. "It's been twenty years to the day, dear. I'm sure you're thinking about it." The young woman's expression hardened and she stepped away. "Of course... why wouldn't I be..?" She sat at the table, still holding the cloth-wrapped item, and he walked over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "He wouldn't blame you." The one sentence made her eyes well up with tears and she bent over, clutching the cloth to her chest. "He would! It was.. it was my own fault..." The old man walked in front of her, placing his hand firmly on hers. "Your father's death was not your fault, and while you made some bad decisions, you've moved past them. You've got a house, you've settled down, you're getting married soon. Isn't that something to be proud of?" Slowly, Tal looked up at him. "I.. I guess... I'm just worried.. either she'll come back, or I'll-" "You won't do anything." The sudden power in his voice shocked her into silence. "You are your father's daughter, you are the protector, and I know you can do whatever you have to. Your past does not define you." He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers. "You are my daughter also. Believe in yourself, as I believe in you." She reached up, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Buir..." He smiled, pulling away. "I've got to go. But you know what you have to do and you know that it won't fix itself." Standing, Tal walked with him to the door, smiling as she watched him go, remembering the time they first met..

Aaray looked around, shaking his head. What he once knew as the vibrant, beautiful planet was a desolate wasteland, destroyed by war after war. "You're not what you used to be, are you.." A faint cry made him turn his head and his brow furrowed. "Is that.." It echoed louder and he started running towards it. After searching for a long time, he almost gave up when he saw a bit up cloth sticking out from under a ship wreck. Pulling out his blaster, Aaray inched closer. "Hello?" He heard the cry from inside the ship and ran over. The door was stuck shut and he pushed on it angrily. "Come on!" He stepped back, shooting the handle and sliding it open, pausing to let his eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. In the corner, he saw a baby, no more than a year old, sitting in the arms of a dead man slumped against the wall. The Mandalorian slipped inside, gingerly picking up the child. She opened her eyes slightly, smiling up at him. "You poor thing.. was that your family?" He checked the dead man's uniform seeing a crest he didn't recognize. "Must've been from somewhere else.. don't worry little one, I'll take care of you. After all, you've got to be something special to survive that." She cooed quietly, reaching out to him. "How about I call you.. Cuyan? You are a survivor, after all."


	2. Saber

Tal walked back into the hut, setting the cloth wrapped object on the table. She paced in front of it, glancing at it occasionally. It hummed quietly and she blinked quickly, unsure if it was in her mind or it actually happened. Slowly, she pushed the cloth back and picked up the slender handle. It was light, especially without the heavy cloth around it, the silver of the hilt glinting in the low light. Her thumb reached up, pressed the button and the blade sprung to life. It sparked, the deep black sword responding to her heightened emotions and she held it away from her. The last time she'd held the blade was the last time she'd taken a life.

"Good. Again." Tal glanced up, sweat dripping from her head. "But Master, we haven't rested since we started!" The other trainee complained to the Sith Lady, lowering her saber. "Can't we at least have something to drink?" Slowly standing, Zannah descended towards her two young apprentices and Tal flinched slightly. "Cognus. You seem very rebellious today. That's good; you need to feed that side." The pride lasted on the apprentice's face for all of two seconds as the older woman grabbed her neck, raising her off the ground. "Feed it when you're talking to someone else. Don't forget I am your master and you will act as I instruct. Am I correct?" This time, she glanced at the Mandalorian. Tal nodded quickly, readjusting the grip on her lightsaber. "Good. Take a lesson from her; she knows her place." Zannah tossed Cognus to the ground and turned her back. "Tal. Come with me." She followed her master through the dark halls to a small library-like room. The Sith pulled a box off the shelf and set it on the table. "Open it." Tal's hands shook, but she pushed the top open and looked at the rectangular piece of metal inside. "What is this?" The woman smirked. "Pick it up and turn it on." A quick testing of the weight and a press of the button revealed a dark blade that made Tal gasp. "W.. where did you get this?" Zannah smirked again, closing the box and walking behind her apprentice. "I have my ways. Now, I know you're from the planet Mandalore; you already know this blade." She nodded vigorously. "It's yours to wield as you choose. Anyone can wield it, but it's said to be best in the hand of the Mandos. I trust you'll put it to good use for me?" Tal nodded, bowing deeply as she closed the saber. "I will, my lady."

The Mandalorian shook her head, once again in her home. She could hear a faint whispering coming from the blade and she squeezed her eyes shut. It only took a moment of contemplation for her to decide. She closed the blade and walked back to the basement, opening a chest and pulling out her old beskar. Running her hand over the old armor plates, she sighed then slipped it on. It fit firmly like it always had. Something clicked and she lifted her old gun out and slung it onto her back. Returning to the upper floor, Tal covered the basement again, grabbed the blade ad headed for the door, slipping on her helmet as she went.

The town was easy enough to get to, and no one recognized her armor. She went straight to the tavern, seeking out a job board. People would leave pages requesting assassins and bounty hunters if there was no one around, though they were difficult to find. Considering it was a planet of bounty hunters. A small page hung on the bottom corner, promising a large reward for the return of some valuable items. Ripping the page off, Tal was out the door as quickly as she came in.

**Author's Note:**

> Tal'verd - Blood warrior  
> Cuyan - Survivor  
> Aaray - Pain


End file.
